This is the second of now three phases of training/ restoration efforts involving the East Headrace at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in eastern Pennsylvania. The partnership is the third task order associated with DSC's five-year cooperative agreement with the Northeast Region Office of the National Park Service. Phase Two included a week-end workshop for Volunteers-in-the-Park and three week-long training sessions for high school students at several regional VoTech high schools. All the sessions include a brief classroom introduction with DSC and NPS staff teaching preservation standards, NPS philosophy and maintenance practices, the history of Hopewell Furnace and the fundamentals of drystone masonry . . . followed by hands-on training while restoring the east headrace retaining wall. The headrace was originally built in the late 1800's but inappropriately "restored" in the late 1930's. During the training, the wall was carefully dismantled and rebuilt, correcting several faults while preserving the character-defining features of the original workmanship. More than forty people took part during Phase Two and restored more than 100 linear feet of 5-foot tall wall! Check back this summer for an announcement about opportunities for YOU to take a workshop at this great historic site this fall!

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

This album contains a few photos from each of the Conservancy's spring 2009 workshops and volunteer work days in Virginia and Kentucky. Workshops give participants an opportunity to learn how to build rock fences while raising awareness of historic fences, the craft and correct restoration techniques.

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

This is the Conservancy's forth of seven covered bridge abutment restoration/training projects in partnership with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (see previous albums for Goddard, Bennetts Mill and Switzer Covered Bridges). As the timber contractor (Arnold Graton) completes his timber restoration work, the Conservancy is repairing the historic drystone abutment wingwalls as well as adding new drystone approach ramps to accommodate the new bridge elevation (the bridge was raised a few feet to avoid frequent floods). We were also asked to remove the central pier that was added several decades after the bridge was built, when the timberwork began to sag. Check back often, new photos will be posted as it happens! (updated 4/8/09)

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

This community project for the Children's Garden at the Lexington / University of Kentucky Arboretum is benefiting from the donation of expertise, time, materials and services from a number of local volunteers, design firms, companies and organizations. The Conservancy was asked to locate inexpensive sources of stone from across the state and to install five geologic features that depict the different geology and physiographic regions of Kentucky. This spring we will build the Bluegrass Overlook, Knob and Seeping Springs features. Later this summer and fall we will install the Kentucky River Palisades and Western Kentucky Cave features. As the summer progresses, others will be installing various water features, plantings and additional hardscape. (updated 3/24/09)

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

This is the first of two phases of training/ restoration efforts involving the East Headrace at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in eastern Pennsylvania. The partnership is the third task order associated with DSC's five-year cooperative agreement with the Northeast Region Office of the National Park Service. Phase One included a week-end workshop for Volunteers-in-the-Park, three week-long training sessions for high school students at several regional VoTech high schools, and a week-long session for NPS staff nationwide. All the sessions include a brief classroom introduction with DSC and NPS staff teaching preservation standards, NPS philosophy and maintenance practices, the history of Hopewell Furnace and the fundamentals of drystone masonry . . . followed by hands-on training while restoring the east headrace retaining wall. The headrace was originally built in the late 1800's but inappropriately "restored" in the late 1930's. The wall was carefully dismantled and rebuilt, correcting several faults while preserving the character-defining features of the original workmanship. More than 55 people took part during Phase One and restored more than 130 linear feet of 5-foot tall wall! Check back in May 2009 for photos of Phase Two.

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

The 5th Annual National Dry Stone Walling Competition was held at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Mercer County Kentucky again this year, and attracted competitors from KY, TN, VA, SC, NJ, OH, IN, IA, TX and WA as well as one from Scotland! All in all, 38 people traveled more than 35,000 miles round trip to compete in this year’s event . . . and restored over 200 linear feet of historic fence in only 8 hours!

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

This album contains a few photos from each of the Conservancy's summer and fall 2008 workshops in Vermont, Virginia, and Kentucky. Workshops give participants an opportunity to learn how to build rock fences while raising awareness of historic fences, the craft and correct restoration techniques. Thank you to our workshop partners at the Vermont Granite Museum in Barre VT, the City of Dayton VA, Yew Dell Gardens in Louisville KY, Aullwood Garden in Dayton OH, Maker's Mark Distillery in Nelson County KY, and Shaker Village in Mercer County KY. Thanks also to the hundreds of workshop participants this year who helped restore important historic structures in their communities!

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

This reconstruction project involves rebuilding more than 1,000 linear feet of historic stone wall that was destroyed a few years ago when the roadway was widened. The original stone was salvaged by local preservation-minded people and stored at a county facility while funding was secured for it to be rebuilt. All the historic stone is being used in the new wall . . . along with some new stone for structural improvements (foundations, ties and covers) that were missing from the original wall design. Williamson County is the project sponsor, with 80% of the funding provided by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

This album includes a few photos from each of the Conservancy's 2008 workshops and volunteer work days. Hands-on training is a popular choice for drystone enthusiasts. Four workshops and three volunteer work days have been/will be offered this spring in Kentucky as well as another in Tennessee. Workshops give participants an opportunity to learn how to build drystone walls while raising awareness of historic fences, the craft and correct restoration techniques. Volunteer work days give previous workshop participants an opportunity to continue under the tutelage of Conservancy-trained instructors while donating their time restoring important historic fences in Central Kentucky. Thank you to our spring 2008 workshop partners at T.B White Historic Farmsted in Boyle County KY, Hebron Church Cemetery in Anderson County KY, and Shaker Village in Mercer County KY.

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy

For a full description of the Conserancy's partnership with the National Park Service at the Roebling Aqueduct site, read the November 2007 photo album below. Phase 2 involved two weeks of final site work to remove the temporary soil bench at the base of the wall and to rebuild two drainage culverts to match the historic stonework. In early April the Conservancy was presented with a Special Recognition Award from the Upper Delaware Council of New York and Pennsylvania for “masonry restoration craftwork at the NPS Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River Corwin Barn and Roebling Delaware Aqueduct properties”. The award was accompanied by a State of New York State Legislative Resolution. For the full text of the award presentation, go to our forum "Conservancy News" site.

Owner: Dry Stone Conservancy